Looking for you (and wondering what I'll find)
by Dernhelm from the East
Summary: Tom tried to find the lost Queen of Mewni using magic, but something went wrong.
1. Chapter 1

_It had started as a joke and ended up as my third favorite pairing with Tom (after Tom/Happiness and Tomstar). Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do!_

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Tom rubbed his tired eyes. He had been in Lucitor's library for five hours now and felt utterly exhausted. And the worst was he didn't even know what he was looking for exactly, so his research could last an eternity.

He took another book and started to check it, but his mind was wandering. Tom thought again and again about Star, but this time that thoughts didn't cause the feelings, he got used to feeling. Thinking of Star had always stirred waves of emotions - admiration, passion, anger, even pain, and now he felt like something inside his heart had burned out, leaving only cold cinders and ashes.

Prince turned the page, looking through text and almost not seeing it. Today Star had decided to seek her mother in the Torture Tower, for the third time for this week. Tom had said it would be just wasting of time, but he couldn't have reassured her. She had just grabbed her father and Marco and gone without second thoughts. She had always been stubborn.

They had fought with Meteora months ago, and many things had changed. Star had lost her wand but had discovered how to use her magic without it. She had become the new Queen but had given her throne to Eclipsa. Tom knew, how much she had born and had tried to be as supportive as he could be. But it seemed Star just didn't need it. She hadn't even told him about the kiss. Marco had been more honest with him than his own girlfriend.

Tom shook his head, trying to get rid of bitter thoughts. He had treated her awful during their first dating, and now she just returned old debts. It was fair enough. But it would be better if they broke up, despite how much he loved her. Star was the most wonderful princess he had ever met, and yet he was a prince himself. Tom didn't want to be humiliated more, pining over her and chasing her through dimensions as he had done it before. He must collect all the courage he had, and ended it up once and forever. But before it, the Prince of Underworld would give the farewell gift to his beloved one. He would find and return her mother.

This book also had nothing useful. Tom sighed. He had found in these tomes many spells, and some of them were very powerful and dark, but nothing that could help to find a missing person. How could it possible? Tom felt as anger rose up inside, and took several deep breaths to calm down. Hopefully, he had plenty of time to find a spell he needed.

Tom had looked through almost fifty books before he had found a promising incantation. It was one of the teleportation spells. It didn't find a missing person, but it could shift a sorcerer to a place where another person was, even if he didn't know where it located. This incantation was quite complicated, but the prince felt slight hope. The spell would teleport him for an hour and then turn back. Tom could summon his carriage, and return with the Queen. All he needed is clean his mind and concentrate on words of the spell.

He looked at the list of ingredients for the ritual. Tom knew he should care about doing all things right, but he couldn't stop imaging Star's reaction. What would she say when he returned her mother to her? Would she be grateful, or angry for not saying anything before? And how would Star react on their break up? Would she be upset or feel relief? Tom forced himself to get rid of unnecessary thoughts. He went to boxroom and brought candles, a piece of chalk, and a knife. Then the prince started to draw a magic circle right on the library's floor, checking with the old book illustration. He put candles at the corners of the pentagram and lit them up. Tom took the knife and cut his hand. A few drops of demon blood felt in the center of the circle. "Does it impress her?" Tom thought unwillingly and mentally slapped himself. He should care less about what Star thought or nor.

Preparations had been done. The prince took the book and started to read the first part of the spell aloud. He ended it, and the flames of the candles trembled. Tom stood in the circle, and concentrate on the picture of Moon. He remembered her features: big blue eyes, perfect coiffure, thin line of always pursed lips, diamond cheekmarks, strict posture, clasped hands in gloves. But somehow he saw Star in her features. Images of mother and daughter intertwined in one and became inseparable.

Tom thought he should stop and try another day, but it was too late. Chalk lines started to glow. He didn't know much about magic but knew there was nothing worse than an unfinished spell. So, the prince took a deep breath and said the second part of incantation. The lines flared up, dazzling him. Tom squinted and felt as some power grabbed him, squeezing and spinning. It was painful; he barely held on his scream. The book didn't mention it. The only thing Tom could do was to wait.

It ended up suddenly. Tom found himself in a locked room. There was a pitch black, but he could see the shapes of a door and baroque furniture. But the first thing he had noticed was a strange, wiping sound. Tom created a fire on his palm and went to find a source of the noise. He rolled around the corner and found himself in a bedroom. On a bed, a figure in a black cloak was lying, face down. Strands of bluish hair were spread out pillows.

"Your Majesty? Queen Moon?" the prince called her hesitantly. The figure rose and turned around.

At first, Tom thought he had mistaken. He saw Star right before him. But then he admitted marks on her cheeks were diamonds, not hearts. His own heart dropped.

Fourteen years old Queen Moon stared at the uninvited intruder.


	2. Chapter 2

The demon prince stood speechless. He had found the lost Queen and not found at the same time; he had definitely made a mistake in the spell, but couldn't understand where exactly. Tom wanted to leave this room immediately, but Moon outstripped him. She rose her wand and ordered 'Stardust Strip!"

A glittering band appeared and bound Tom tightly. He staggered and fell on a floor. A carpet on it was thick and fluffy, and yet demon's nape was hurt.

"Toffee sent you to kill me, didn't he?" her face was red and swollen from crying, but the voice sounded firm. "Speak, monster!"

Queen's words slapped him on the face. Tom should have stayed calm, he should have explained the mistake and tried his spell again. But the Prince was confused, disoriented, tired and tied. And he did the worst thing he could do in this situation. He got angry.

"PULL THESE ROPES OFF!" the bright flame made Moon cover her eyes. Tom blasted off the floor, his eyes glowing white and his voice becoming infernal. "PULL THESE ROPES OFF, AND I WILL SHOW YOU WHO SENT ME!"

The magic ropes were untouched, but the carpet flared up immediately. The Queen rose her magic wand and extinguished it quickly. Surprisingly, but this outburst calmed Moon down a little. She didn't remove the ropes but lowered her weapon and looked at Tom with new interest.

"Oh, you're a demon, right? Are you one of Mellie's servants?" Moon asked curiously.

The flame ceased. Tom was breathing heavily, looking at the girl suspiciously. Moon Butterfly was always polite with him and threatened him well, but it seemed as she hadn't been so tolerant then she had been a teenager. Tom caught himself on the thought that he didn't know Star's mother at all. He had seen her only at the formal ceremonies and heard Star's complains, and that wasn't enough to discover her true nature.

"Who?" he asked at last.

"Wrathmellior. The Princess of the Underworld. You probably don't call her that. So, did she order you to go here? You know you should knock on a door first, to avoid a situation like this one."

Tom blinked, trying to find proper words. The boy thought he could have cooked up some believable lies, but he felt he was on thin ice. The truth, even the most impossible, would fit here better.

"Yes, I'm a demon." Technically, he was a half-demon, but he decided not to specify. "And no, Wrathmellior didn't send me. I'm not sure yet, but it seems I was sent into the past. Because… because Wrathmellior is my mom..." Tom trailed off and observed her reaction.

The young Queen crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips. "How could it be possible? I don't believe you. Who are you?"

"Prince Thomas Lucitor, to your service. Sorry, I can't bow to you in a proper manner." Tom felt how ridiculous was this situation. He tried his best to control his temper and prevent another outburst.

"Lucitor? You can't be Lucitor!" Moon fuffed, and then become thoughtful. "Unless…"

She came close to him, studying his features intently. Her hair smelled of lavender. This odor and her gazes made Tom extremely uncomfortable, even more than he had felt before. A purple flush appeared on his cheeks, but Moon didn't react on it. She snapped her fingers and pointed at him.

"Dave! Your father's name is Dave?"

Discouraged Tom nodded slowly. Moon covered her lips, her eyes widened.

"Oh my corn… I knew it! I knew he had a crush on her!" she giggled. Tom didn't know Queen Moon was able to laugh. "I'll tease him, I'll tease them both!"

"Hey! Don't do it!" Tom said grumpily. "They are my parents after all."

"And my best friends. Well, I'll see," the girl giggled the last time, and her face became serious again. "So… what did the prince from the future forget in my chambers?"

Tom didn't have time to answer. Someone banged violently on the door.

"Your Majesty? Is everything alright?" they heard muffled voices of the guardians.

"Hide, quickly," Moon whispered hectic. She looked around to find a proper place.

"Are you joking, right?" Tom admitted with sarcasm. He was still hovering in the air and still tied. Without saying any word Moon grabbed him on the t-shirt and pulled him in her closed.

"Come in," the young Queen said, closing doors and hiding Tom inside.

"We heard a stranger's voice in your chambers, Your Majesty," said the guardian. "We must check if you are safe."

"Everything is fine," said Moon calmly. "I'm sorry I bothered you."

"But… but your carpet!" another guardian exclaimed.

"It's just a spell went wrong. Don't mind."

"Should we call for the royal decorator to replace it?"

"Not, it needs no hurry. Thank you," the Queen answered with a slight push in her voice.

"Oh, well… Do you need anything else?" the guardians were confused.

"No, nothing. I'll call you if I need something," Moon told them firmly.

Tom didn't listen for the conversation outside. He tried to free his hands from magic ropes. The prince wondered why he always had trouble with the Butterfly girls. Firstly Star had put him in an ice cube (he has been released an hour later and had had a bad cold); and now, her mother. He couldn't remember other things that were unaffected by his fire. The scent of lavender only distracted him. Trying to get rid of ropes the demon boy just got entangled in girl's fancy dresses.

"They've gone," Moon knocked on the closet door. "You can get out."

"I'm afraid I need your help," grumbled Tom. Moon opened the closed and giggled at the look of the grumpy demon in a pile of her clothes. "Could you free me? Please?"

"Of course, not," nevertheless the girl helped him to get out and sat him down on a chair. The fact you are the son of my best friends doesn't mean I trust you enough. And I didn't tell on you to guardians, so you should be grateful."

Tom took several deep breaths to calm down.

"Let's continue from the moment we were interrupted. Why are you here?" Sparks of joy in her eyes disappeared. There was no smile on her face. The impassive Queen he got used to knowing looked at him through the younger face.

"I'm looking for you there, in my present. I have read the spell, but it somehow sent me here. I can't explain what exactly happened."

"But why? Why are you looking for me?" Moon perplexed.

"Because you've gone, and no one knows where you are," he sighed.

"I would never leave my kingdom and my people," she said slowly "unless it would be against my will."

The Queen looked at the prince, and he nodded confirming her suggestion.

"So," she continued. Tom wasn't able to read her real emotions under her perfectly calm facade. "What force made me forget about my duty?"

Tom licked his lips. It was the hardest part, and he started, musing over every word he said. "There was… a monster," Tom wasn't the smartest creature in the universe, but he understood he shouldn't tell about Meteora and that Butterfly thing. After all, he wasn't sure what had happened as a matter of fact. "That monster attacked Mewni, and you were defending your kingdom..."

"And was defeated," she ended with deceptively calm voice. Her gaze was directed at a point somewhere above his right horn, and Tom could only guess how hard it was for her to stay so still. "And what about Mewni? The Underworld?"

"To be honest, they were damaged," Tom already regretted his decision to tell nothing but the truth. "But don't worry, no one was harm seriously, and buildings and other things will be restored quickly."

"Will be?" Moon asked again. "How many time passed between that battle and your departure here?"

"Well… not so long," Tom hesitated. "Actually… ouch!"

A terrible, painful feeling appeared in his stomach; his skin started to glow.

"What are you doing?" the girl asked with concern in her voice.

"I… do… nothing… agghhh," he couldn't restrain a scream. "It's… it's the spell!"

"Oh my," Moon exclaimed, grabbing her wand and releasing Tom from his fetters. The demon was going to fall on the floor, but this time Moon caught him.

"Shhh, shhh, everything will be alright," she repeated again and again, while Tom was whining and twitching in her arms. The guardians thumped on the chamber door, but Moon paid attention only to the boy nearby. "Find me there, in the future, okay?"

"I promisssse," Tom hissed. His body squinted and morphed, and within a minute Moon held only an empty place. The guardians broke the door down to find their young Queen sitting on the floor stock-still.

Tom woke up on the library floor. All his body ached, like after another demoncism. He threw a look at the tiny hourglass at the table. The sand in the upper half was almost gone; he was absent about two minutes. The worried face of Moon was still before his eyes; Tom still felt the smooth silk of her gloves on his skin. The prince hadn't achieved the goal, and yet this experience wasn't in vain.

"I should tell Star about that," he decided, standing up and grabbing his pocket mirror.

"I am sorry, but you have exceeded your minutes," told him a pleasant female voice. Tom smashed his artifact into the wall and regretted it immediately. He picked up all splinters carefully and went to his father.

"Hey, dad," he found King Dave in his cabinet. "May I borrow your mirror? I need to call Star."

"Sure," the man didn't interrupt his studying. "Who's Star?"


	3. Chapter 3

For sure his father misheard him. Tom repeated, rolling his eyes impatiently.

"Star. Star Butterfly. My girlfriend."

"Butterfly? I don't know any Butterfly girl called Star. But nevertheless, you should remember that Queen Felicity strongly disapproves any connection between her precious princesses and monsters like us," the tone of Dave's voice didn't change, and his eyes were still looking for something through piles of parchments on his desk.

This time it was Tom's turn to ask "Who?"

King Dave, at last, looked at his son. His gaze expressed disappointment.

"Thomas, I know you aren't interested in politics, but you should remember it's a part of your life. The main part, actually. The list of names and titles of royalty is the basic knowledge every prince must own. Bother yourself to study it."

Tom bit his lip. His father had never spoken to him that way, and he didn't notice there was grey in his hair before. Something was wrong, something was terribly wrong.

"Dad. Who's Felicity? Where's Star? Where's Moon?" he asked slowly.

This time something similar to concern flickered in Dave's eyes.

"Son. Why do you ask about the Queen who was dead for years, and don't remember the name of actual Queen of Mewni?"

Dead. The walls of the room staggered, and Tom tried hard to stay on his feet.

"No, no, no, it can't be true!" he made an attempt to reassure his father, himself and the whole universe. "She can't be dead! She must fight enemies and rule long and wise. She's Queen Moon the Undaunted after all!"

"Did you mean to say 'Moon the Reckless'?" The King sighed, and an old pain appeared in his features. "She was a brave girl and a good friend, but a terrible Queen. Her lack of second thoughts doomed her to oblivion."

"What? No!" exclaimed Tom, losing all wariness. "Moon I know would never…"

"Moon you know? Nonsense!" Dave snapped out. "She had perished before you were born."

 _"It must be a bad dream,"_ the boy thought. _"It can't be true."_ But everything seemed to be horribly, painfully real. The fear appeared somewhere in his guts and started to spread, freezing him from inside.

Dave observed his son's behavior with a slight concern. "Thomas, your condition disturbs me. Should I call a doctor?"

"No, I'm fine!" Tom forced himself to make a laugh. "But I'll probably take a nap."

"Fine," the King lost interest to their conversation and returned to his paperwork. "But, Thomas, I expect you to pay more attention to your duties and studying."

"Of course, sir," Tom said quietly, leaving the cabinet. He had time to make just a few steps before he lent against a wall and slid down exhausted.

How could the universe exist without Star? Tom's memory kept each smile she had given him, each curious and angry look, each kiss; now the thought he was guilty of her vanishing was torturing him, and his memories only rub salt in the wound. The prince suppressed the scream of grief and desperation.

The next thought made him felt even worse. He was responsible for Moon's death. Tom didn't know how, what had happened in the past; they had spent together barely fifteen minutes (although the spell must have sent him for an hour), and during these minutes he had told her practically nothing extraordinary, nothing that could have caused such drastic changes. However, it was obviously his fault. Tom had become that pebble that had caused an avalanche.

He must do something to fix both the past and the present. Tom was ready to give anything he owned to return Star and her mother into life. And the first thing he must do was discover what had happened to Moon.

Tom rose. He was still shaking from shock, but a spark of hope that he could bring all to normal gave him a little confidence. For a moment he hesitated - should he search for an answer in the library, or it would be better to ask a witness of those events, - and chose the second option.

Tom found his mother in her garden, making embroidery and chatting with her ladies-in-waiting; fountains of lava colored everything in shades of red and orange.

"Hey, mom," he spoke Hellish. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course, dear," Wrathmellior seemed to be the same, except deep wrinkles around her eyes. "What do want to know?"

Tom threw a gaze on ladies, who were watching him with interest. The Queen noticed that and signed her companions to leave them alone.

"What happened, Tommy?" she roared softly.

"Just don't get mad, okay?" the prince sighed. "I want… I want to know what happened to Queen Moon of Mewni? How did she die?"

Wrathmellior didn't get mad, she got sad. She put her needlework aside and clasped her hands as the sorrow of the past still chased her. Ends of her wings sagged down.

"You started to study the modern history, didn't you? Oh.. I think your father is a better narrator than I."

"I'm sorry, mom, I didn't mean to upset you," Tom came close to her and took her giant palm. She squeezed his hand gently. "I can go to father if it makes you feel bad."

"No, not at all," she smiled sadly. "It's just unexpected. I didn't think of her for many years, and now I surprised why. She was my best friend after all. You know, she was the one who organized an unforgettable first date for your father and me."

"Really?" Tom's eyes widened.

"Oh yes," the Queen immersed in memories. "She had called me for dinner with all our friends, and when I arrived, there was no one but your father. He said she had received the same call, and blushed so furiously that made me laugh. That moment I realized he was the one…"

Her glance became dreamy. She was probably returned to the days of her youth. Tom waited for a little and coughed, bringing her back to the present.

"So… what happened?" he asked again. Wrathmellior sighed once more.

"There was a monster rebellion. Mewmans and monsters always have tension, and that year was especially tough. Poor Queen Comet had been killed by one of the rebel leaders, and Moon became the new Queen. She had a battle with that lizard, I don't remember his name, and defeated him."

Tom knew this part and patiently waited for the continuation of the story.

"Monster's army was horrified by his loss and returned to their forests. Moon should have restored her kingdom, but she suddenly decided to find and finished that leader off. Although your grandfather proposed to send his army as a help, Moon refused. And… and she was ambushed," the Queen said quietly. "What's all I know, and I'm not sure I want to know what exactly had happened to her body."

Tom's guts were twisted with a feeling of guilt and horror, but he tried to play it cool. "And Felicity?.."

"She became the Queen after Moon" Wrathmellior pursed her lips as she was speaking about something unpleasant. "Of course, she made peace with monsters and provided them with a place to live, but… Moon would have been a better Queen than Felicity. She wasn't such an arrogant person as the present ruler of Mewni. But this you know yourself."

The Queen gently touched her son's cheek. "If Moon had been alive, you would have never cried after that ball. I can't forgive Felicity your tears."

Tom shivered at his non-existing memories. Seemingly, Wrathmellior concluded she had said too much.

"Oh, what am I saying! Felicity isn't that bad. She's just couldn't replace my beloved friend."

"Thank you, mom," Tom carefully stroke her hand and then kissed it. "Apologize, if I woke your bad memories."

"Not at all, dear," the Queen tousled son's hair. "Some things are worth the pain they cause. Many times I reflected, 'would Moon have been here if she had accepted father's help'? 'if I had insisted on it'?"

It seemed Wrathmellior blamed herself for her friend's death. If only she knew who was the real culprit! Tom told his mother goodbye and went away, unwittingly fixing his hairstyle after his mother's affection on the way. He distractedly wondered if Moon had organized dinner for his parents after the conversation with him. And then was a sudden flash in his mind. How criminally careless he had been, telling such valuable information to someone who belonged to another time! His parents were still married, and he existed luckily, but what if that dinner had gone wrong? He could have erased himself from existence as well as he had done it to Star… Ton clenched his fists so tight that his claws pierced deeply in his palms. He must have been much more careful, must fix his mistakes. Although the boy didn't know how to restore the damage he had done, he knew he had to return.

In the library, the prince found all he had left before untouched. Even candles on the corners of chalk pentagram were still burning. This time preparation took less than a minute. First cut was still sore when he made another one. Tom tried to calm himself down, repeating again and again that he could set everything right. He read the first part of incantation firmly and closed his eyes, summoning the image of Moon. He had no struggling with it; he could even hear her voice and smell the scent of her hair.

The chalk circle glowed the familiar way. Tom ended the spell and prepared to feel the painful teleportation. He didn't have to wait for long.

The prince fell on the trampled grass inside a tent. The rays of evening sun passed through the dense fabric. He lied on the ground, breathing heavily and trying to recover from the torturous teleportation as soon as possible. Tom heard a quiet rustle and jumped on his feet, looking around with slight anxiety.

The demon's appearance made Moon take her eyes off the map she studying. She wore the silver armor; her long hair was braided and hidden under the helmet. She raised her eyebrows, not her wand. It was a good sight. Tom sighed with relief. He was in time, and the young Queen was still alive.

"Hello again, the prince from the future," Moon greeted him calmly. "To be honest, I didn't expect to see you so soon."


	4. Chapter 4

"Don't… don't do it!" Tom exclaimed breathlessly. A small polite smile on Moon's face turned into a sarcastic grimace.

"Excuse me?" her voice was calm, too calm on Tom's opinion.

"You know what I mean," the boy said. "Stop chasing Toffee!"

"Why should I stop it?" Moon squinted her eyes. "He's a threat, and now he's weakened more than ever. I must destroy him before he destroys my kingdom."

For a moment Tom realized his mistake, and all pieces of the puzzle were put together. He slapped himself on the forehead, almost hurting his eye.

"Toffee isn't that monster who will attack Mewni in my time!" Tom explained. "I'm sorry if I mislead you."

The Queen crossed her arms.

"Could you swear he would never do any harm to my people and my land again?"

Tom's smile faded. He had heard about the battle for Mewni and had seen with his eyes all damage the Septarian leader had caused in the Underworld.

"Well…" he started unsurely, but Moon caught all she wanted to know in the change of his voice.

"You can say nothing," the Queen turned to her maps. "He'll return to revenge, but I'll strike first."

"You'll die if you continue your searching!" the prince exclaimed desperately.

Moon froze. She kept silence quite long, and Tom bit the tip of his tongue as he had said another critically important thing and had changed the future even more.

"So be it," Moon said at last in quiet, yet confident tone.

"WHY ARE YOU SO STUBBORN?" demon's irritation, frustration, and fear unleashed with spurts of flame. "I JUST WANT TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!"

"I don't need a hero!" the girl screamed back at the demon. Her cheekmarks turned bright red from anger. "Tell me what you want me to know or get out of my way!"

"Your Majesty?" a guardian rushed into the tent, holding a battle ax.

"Go away!" Tom and Moon ordered at the same time, keeping exchanging angry looks.

"But, My Queen…" he looked hesitantly at his irritated Queen and more than the scowled demon, hovering in the air in front of her.

"No need to worry," Moon pulled herself up. "I have a conversation with our new honorable ambassador of the Underworld, and we find some disagreements. Nevertheless, we continue the campaign immediately."

The guardian nodded and left the Queen's tent. Moon rolled her maps and prepared to do the same.

"Ambassador?" Tom whispered, following her.

"You can thank me later," Moon said, approaching her warnicorn and riding it.

The prince looked around. The sun almost hid behind the wall of trees, and their silhouettes seemed painfully familiar.

"Are you going to walk into the Forest of Certain Death? At night? Seriously?" Tom asked in disbelief. Moon just shrugged and said nothing, leading her small squad. She was the first who stepped into the shade of the Forest.

Tom rode near her, almost resigned himself with his role. He prepared himself for all possible dangers what they could meet in this place, but he was surrounded only by harmless trees. The only thing disturbed the demon - pressing unnatural silence.

"I hope you know what are you doing," his mumbling sounded like a shout.

"Be quiet," Moon murmured in response. "My scouts reported Toffee's hideout was near."

They continued on their path. The further the Queen's little squad rode the more anxious Tom became. Every second could happen something awful. They might find that shelter and face the psycho monster rebel, or might trap in an ambush. Or the worst - the spell might return him into the present in the most inappropriate moment…

His eyes noticed a slightly recognizable movement beyond the trees. His pointy ears caught a barely audible sound of cracking rope.

"Watch out!" Tom jumped and fell Moon on the ground.

"What do you…" the ending on her phrase was muffled with the noise of the giant spiked log what flew over their heads. Moon looked from the worried boy's face to the timber, still swinging above them, and her eyes widened.

"Ambush!" one of the Mewmans warrior scream and instantly fell with an arrow in his throat. The armed Septarians appeared from the trees, and they were at least twice more than the Queen's squad.

Moon oriented herself quicker than Tom. She jumped on her feet, pulled her wand out of a sheath, and pointed it at the nearest enemy.

"Dragonfly Tornado!"

Two Septarians got into a vortex of glimmering wings and disappeared in it. Their screamings somehow pushed Tom to action.

The prince had participated in battles before. He had fought with Star against Mina Loveberry as well as against Meteora with the Marcnificent Seven. But this time there were no friends near, and the number of enemies was superior. Tom got lost for a few moments, trying to figure out what to do. And then he heard the screams of warriors and caught a glimpse of Moon's silver armor, and his hands clenched into fists. He had the only mission - to keep this girl safe.

The wall of flame appeared between the Queen and her attackers, burning and blinding them. The demon floated in the air above the battlefield, turning everything his fire touched to ashes. His only concern was the Moon's safety. Maybe, on any other day, the boy would have second thoughts about what he was doing (his nature had softened very much after his friendship with Star and Marco), but now he was burning and singeing other living creatures without mercy and remorse.

For Tom, all combat turned into a mess consisting of flashes, screams, and weapon's rumble. The fact he could hear and see in the dark better than his allies didn't help him. No matter how hard he tried to keep his head cold, his actions remained quite chaotic. But, at least, the demon didn't hit the members of the Queen's squad.

The Mewmans fought skillfully, but forces were unequal. One by one the Queen's warriors lost their battle. Many were killed, even more were wounded. The monsters seemed to feel tiredness of their opponents and intensified the onslaught.

"Your Majesty, we should retreat," one of the royal bodyguards exclaimed. "Your Majesty?"

Tom followed the traces of Moon's spells. She combated with three lizards contemporaneously and didn't hear the words of her man. The prince made an attempt to come close to Moon and convince her to follow the advice. A giant lizard with a frilled neck stepped on his way, and Tom set his sword and arms on fire. Though the demon probably burnt his limbs to the bones, the warrior didn't scream, just dropped his weapon and fell on his knees. The stench of charred flesh nearly made Tom puke.

"Moon, it's time to retreat!" he finally reached the fighting Queen.

"I don't think so," she struck two of her opponents down and combated with the last one. "We cope well."

"Well?" Tom couldn't believe his ears. "Look around! Are you sure you chose the correct word for this?"

A bright spell threw the defeated opponent on the ground, and Moon had a possibility to turn around at last. The fuss of the battle had carried her entirely away, and only now the Queen could see how exactly things had been going. The express of composure on girl's face changed into the dismay, but it lasted only a few seconds.

"You're right, she should return to our camp," she was distracted for a moment by another rebel. She blasted him with a rainbow enchantment.

"Hey, I can buy you some time to gather your people," a flame arch appeared between the demon's hands. "My fire seems to be more effective than your spells."

Moon squinted her eyes, skeptical, but noticed a bleeding soldier nearby, and nodded affirmatively. Tom stood still, discouraging the Septarians with his flames.

On the edge of his sight, he noticed the familiar warrior with a frilled neck. He held an ax, and both of his hands seemed to heal. Tom had no time to take action before that lizard chopped one of his hands off. The fire extinguished immediately.

The pain was sharp, but it was drowned by rage. He flew into the air in flames; the black smoke of his souls flowed like blood. His voice became more profound, and he spoke the language no one among those present in that forest could understand. Although Tom gave all his attention and his powers to summoning, he saw as Mewmans left the battlefield. Moon went the last. Her eyes were wide, and sparks reflected in them; she pressed something pale to her chest, and her lips were moving. Tom didn't hear her words, and shook his head angrily as if to say "Don't interrupt me." The Queen seemed to understand his message. She gave him the last worried gaze and spurred her warnicorn, catching up the rest of her squad.

Meanwhile, the prince of the Underworld ended his incantation. He fell exhausted, weaker than a newborn kitten. The monsters around was going to come close and finish him, but they weren't able to do anything before the ground under their legs cracked. A bunch of souls flew out of the crack, and for a moment all battlefield was shrouded in orange radiance. And then the bodies on the ground started to move.

For sure, the lizards didn't expect that. Tom heard frightening shrieks here and there and opened his third eye to check the situation. The Septarians fled away, chasing by the walking dead Mewmans. One of the opponents, the tall lizard with a perfect hairstyle, however, turned back and met Tom's eyes. His gaze was cold and calculating, yet Tom caught something like interest in it. In a few moments, he hid behind the trees, leaving the demon alone with the living corpses.

He could set the souls of fallen soldiers free but decided to wait until enemies went far enough. So Tom just curled himself on the ground, holding the stump of his arm carefully. His hand didn't return to him, and it started to disturb him. It might get lost in the turmoil of battle and retreat. Tom thought about what would say his parents on it and shivered.

But next moment he gained a more urgent reason to worry about. His guts fell sick as before teleportation into the present. "Oh, no, no, no!" his thought with panic. Had he done enough to save Moon and restore his timeline? Moon hadn't been killed in the trap, but she for sure would keep pursuing Toffee. If only he had more time!

The cold forest air changed to the hot and smoky in the Underworld. Tom was laying on the ground, keeping his eyes closed and breathing heavily. Little by little, he calmed himself down.

"Nothing serious has happened," the boy assured himself. "I'll just check what had changed in this time and return, If it's needed, of course."

Tom opened his eyes and stared at the pinkish grey sky of his homeland. He blinked, but the vision didn't change. The prince raised on his elbows to find he was laying among dust, and stones, and marble blocks.

Slowly he recognized in this trash the remains of the Lucitor castle.


	5. Chapter 5

This nightmare seemed to have no end.

Tom was wandering among the ruins, and his thoughts ran hectic from one to another. Where were his parents? What happened to his home? How many changes had his actions caused? He felt like he has been trapped in a swamp. The more he moved, the deeper he was caught.

A long scream, full of despair and grief, sounded above the ruins.

The boy was still weak and tired after the battle and teleportation, yet he had to move as quickly as possible. Tom looked around feverishly. Except for his inherent abilities, he knew the only one spell, and it would be as useful as never before.

There were no candles, and no chalk, but Tom was sure he didn't need it. He found a handful of light grey ash and drawn a pentagram inside a magic circle with it. Then he lit small flames on a bunch of sticks, found nearby, and set them around the circle. The most essential thing remained - to say the words of incantation in the proper way. Tom had done it twice, yet still wasn't sure that he had learned the formula by heart.

The boy started the ritual. He read the first part of the spell and felt a slight hope when the flames on the sticks trembled. Tom raised the stump of his hand and opened the fresh wound to gain some blood. Both Butterfly girls were put aside; at this moment he could think only about his parents. The prince closed his eyes, summoning the image of his father. He saw him clear - brown hair, dark greenish blue eyes, tiny dimples, appearing when he smiled, his formal outfit and the crown he had rarely taken off. Tom finished the incantation and prepared himself for the teleportation.

But nothing happened.

The boy opened his eyes. His heart was beating loudly in the chest. The words seemed to be right, and he had no doubts that fancy candles were unnecessary. So what was wrong?

He made another attempt, this time trying to reach his mom. He panicked a little, fearing of another failure, so his voice trembled a little. Finished the spell, Tom felt as some power lifted him in the air. He prepared to the teleportation, but the spell made something odd. It threw him in the air from side to side like a puppet, and then smashed him on the ground.

Tom couldn't move his limbs. All his body was in pain, yet his souls suffered more. That spell had the ability to run him through time, so why it didn't shift him to his parents?

"Hey, lad, what are you doing here?"

Tom froze. On his back came a cold sweat. He slowly rose to his feet and turned around.

The prince recognized a man who called to him. It was one of his servants, or, to be more precise, he was Tom's servant in his home time. The winged demon had no pads and was armed with a whip instead. He looked at the boy with disaffection.

"You cast a spell, didn't you?" he asked with a threat in his voice. "Do you know that it's prohibited without special permission?"

"No," Tom shook his head. "I'm sorry I won't do it again."

It was a lie, and the demon seemed to understand that. He huffed and wagged his whip. It flipped dangerously close to the boy's face.

"Okay, I got it!" Tom yelled. He could erase this guy with a flick of his fingers but had no energy to do it. And, to be honest, Tom didn't want to harm the demon who had served him humbly and loyally, even if it had happened in another time. So, the boy tried to solve their conflict peacefully. "Could you tell me how to gain that permission?"

"You must lose your mind," the demon said scornfully. "Only the King and the most honorable members of his court could do it."

"I see," Tom uttered. "And who is the King now?"

The demon made a weird cracking noise. The boy realized the man was laughing.

"What have you done, kid, fallen from the moon?" the demon said at last. "Our King is Greedo, the first of his name, of house Mefistoter. Who else supposed to be the King?"

Tom's knees weakened. He remembered that guy. Always grumpy, always moaning about 'the good old days', always criticising King Dave's decisions. How could this nosy creaker take his father's place? "Don't cry, just don't," he told himself. Keeping himself calm was hard as it had never been.

"I don't know, what about the Lucitors?" Tom asked as casually as it was possible.

"And what about the traitors of blood?" the demon smirked. "They were exiled, and they got a soft punishment."

He stared at Tom, and a contempt revealed itself in his gaze. "But what am I talking about! How a half breed like you can understand what a demon's dignity means?"

A bright, sizzling flame enveloped the winged demon's body. He had no time to make a move or say anything before his flash turned into cinders. A blackened scull dropped on a pile of ashes; an astonished expression remained on it for eternity.

Tom lowered his hand. A white glowing of his eyes faded away, yet purple flush of humiliation and blind rage was still on his cheeks. His mind, though, was surprisingly clear. There was the only person in the whole world who was able to explain to him what was going on. Tom cleared his throat and repeated the teleportation spell, legibly and firmly. A gently look appeared before his eyes, and he gripped on it. The familiar pain followed the last words of the incantation. He sighed with relief and lost consciousness, making a journey to an unknown place…

...He woke up as a warm hand had touched his forehead. He found himself lying in a bed and didn't want to get up.

"Mom, is that you?" he asked weakly.

"Hush, dear," he heard a soft roar of her voice. "You had been sleeping for six hours, but you still need a rest. My poor boy, what happened to you? I expected to see you only next month."

"Next month?" Tom opened his eyes and sat on the bed. There was dark in a room, but he saw his mother's forms clearly.

"Mom!" the boy exclaimed astonished. "It can't be you! You are… you are… so small!"

Wrathmellior looked at her son sadly. The mighty demon Queen wore a long black dress, what covered her body from neck to tips of the hoofs and hiding her tail and wings. But all these Tom noticed later; the first thing what had caught his attention - her height. She was barely taller than her son.

"Tommy, we need to hide our identity, remember?" Wrathmellior stroke her son's hair. "Besides, we can't afford a bigger house."

A mix of pity and bitterness squeezed the boy's heart. His mother was able to change her height, but it took a lot of physical and mental energy. Being in this form must have been endless torture for the demoness.

"Are you alright, darling?" the worry in mother's voice increased. "These boys bit you so bad! Did they cut your hand and then refused to give it back? I'll write to the principal, he must do something to them. These sneers went too far."

Boys? Principal? Tom had used to study at the castle with the personal teachers and mentors, but in this reality, he, for sure, visited a local common school. Or even worse - some kind of a private school, since his mother hadn't expected to see him at home. How could she pay for the school if she didn't have enough money for the proper house?

"No, I'm not alright!" Tom rapidly stood up and almost immediately felt a giddiness. "I don't understand what's going on! How could it be possible for us to live here! "

"They must have hit you over the head hard this time," Wrathmellior sighed, checking the boy's forehead. "Your temperature is decreasing, you should drink something boiling. How about tea? I'll bring you some."

"Mom, wait a minute," Tom asked, grabbing her hands. The stump of his left hand, wrapped in clean fabric, touched woman's fingers; he didn't get used to his disability yet. "I beg you, tell me just one thing. Where is Dave Lucitor? Where is my father?"

"Oh, honey," the demoness said, astonished. "Your father… Dave… He is in the same place he has been for the past twelve years... The royal Mewni cemetery."

Tom slipped down to the floor silently. This time his actions had caused his father's death and had turned his mother into a bereaved outcast. How many damages could he do again?

"Mom," the boy asked hollowly. "I need you to tell me the whole story. How we lost our home?"

Wrathmellior sat on the floor near her son. She was silent for a while, picking the words, and then started her story.

Tom listened to her, and every word stung him. Moon had escaped an ambush in the Forest of the Certain Death, and yet her retreat had encouraged many monsters to continue their strivings. The Septarian prince Toffee had led the new war, and that time the Mewni Queen had asked for the demon's help. Mewmans and demons had fought against monsters together, and blood of all species had been pouring like rains in spring. Weeks had turned into months, and they had composed years of endless battles. Some of them had been won by monsters, others - by united forces of Mewni and its allies. No one had gained the advantage.

During Wrathmellior's speech, Tom thought all must have ended well for Mewni - the demons were known as almost invulnerable warriors - but soon he realized he had underestimated the cunning mind of the enemies. He listened about how Septarians had appeared in the Underworld, stealing here and there, looking for whose, who had been tired with the war and especially - for those, who had been dissatisfied with the Lucitors. They had told about horrible things that Mewmans had done to the monsters, and had found many sympathizers among the demons. Some of them had demanded to break the alliance with Mewni, others had kept loyalty to the Lucitors and Mewni. And when the crown princess Wrathmellior Lucitor had married a noble Mewman, they had snapped.

"I don't understand," Tom interrupted his mother. "Mewni and we were allies for eternity! How did Septarians assure so many demons to oppose us so quickly?"

"Oh, my boy," Wrathmellior gently stroke his hair again. "I'm afraid, you are mistaken. Your grandfather sealed the peace treaty and treaty of alliance with Mewni, but before it, our kingdoms had had not such warm relations. Your grandfather preferred to look into the future and didn't keep grudges for ages, and yet there were many old and authoritative demons, who still wanted revenge for poor John Roachley."

"Who was that?" Tom wasn't sure he had heard this name before.

"A noble lord. And kin of your great-great-great-great-grandmother," she specified. "He married a Mewni Queen, and she killed him with a spell. Of course, she claimed it had been an accident, but…"

She stopped, waiting for her son's reaction, but Tom had nothing to say. At least he understood why his parents hadn't told him about that guy before.

When Tom said nothing, Wrathmellior continued her narrative. Recalling those events obviously caused her pain but she forced herself to keep her voice calm. Tom wondered once more about the inner strength of his mother.

She told about a rebellion, which had been started after her wedding. The princess, her husband, and a few servants had escaped the castle; the old king with his guard had remained, and soon had been killed by rioters. One of them, Greedo Mefistoter, had wed the royal cousin, Slothybelle Lucitor, and had legitimated his dynasty in that way.

"Aunty Belle!" exclaimed Tom. "How could she marry him?"

"I didn't know you knew her," Wrathmellior said slowly, and Tom bit his tongue. He forgot about the differences in these realities again. "She had no choice, I guess…"

"Sorry, mom, I won't interrupt you. Please, continue."

But her story had almost reached the end. The Underworld had sealed the peace treaty with the monsters, leaving Mewni to continue the war alone. Without demons, Moon and her army had started to lose more than win. When Tom had been four years old, his father had been killed in one of the countless battles. They had buried him and were left alone. Meanwhile, rumors about demons, looking for 'the true heir of the Underworld' and planning to get rid of him, had reached Wrathmellior. So she had changed her identity and sent Tom to a well-protected private school. Unfortunately, he wasn't the most popular student there.

"And what about Moon?" he asked when his mother had finished. "Is she alive?"

"Oh, yes," answered Wrathmellior. "She is fine, and she is leading her army as well."

There was a slight change in her voice; even when she had been telling about the deaths and strugglings, she hadn't shown emotions. What was that - fear?

"Mom, what is her title?" Tom wanted to confirm his suppose.

A short pause.

"Moon the Black-hearted," Wrathmellior confessed at last.

The Black-hearted. Tom wasn't surprised; he had enough time to explore Moon's nature. The boy could vividly imagine, how losses and her inner coldness turned her detachment into a ruthlessness. Perhaps, something among those Septarian's slanders about Mewman's atrocities was true.

"But she isn't that bad!" Wrathmellior said quickly, noticing her son expression. "She always treated us well, even when the Underworld broke off the alliance. And don't forget - she gifted us this house, and she pays for your school, and…"

"Thank you, mom!" Tom stopped her talk with a hug and a kiss on her cheek. "I know, it wasn't easy for you to remember all these… things," he gulped, "and I'm truly grateful to you for your story."

"Oh, honey," Wrathmellior smiled. "It was a pleasure to spend time with you. How… how do you feel?"

"Um… better," Tom said, yawning feignedly. "I'll take a nap if you don't mind."

"Of course, dear," she stroked his cheek and lifted to go away. "I'll bake you a cake. Let's celebrate your arrival!"

"Oh, you are the best!" the boy said sincerely. "Sorry, should have told you about my visit."

Wrathmellior only shook her head and left him alone in the room, closing a door behind. A smile on the boy's face slowly faded.

Moon had ruined everything. Not only her own life but also many other lives. His father… he could never forgive her what had happened to him and his mother. It was painful for Tom to see her in such misery. An iron foot of the bed he was holding onto melted under his grab.

But then he realized that Moon wasn't the guilty one. It was he and only he. All these horrible turnabouts had started with his pathetic attempt to impress a girl. His father, his mother, his grandfather, his aunt, and many, many others had become the victims of his ill-conceived actions. And Queen Moon also was among them.

Tom heavily stood on his feet. He still didn't know how to fix everything, and yet, he was sure about what to do next.

His path was laid back into the past, to young and still untainted Queen of Mewni.


	6. Chapter 6

Tom wondered in which moment of past the spell would send him this time. He said the magic formula, preparing to leave this dark room and more than grim reality.

A few moments later he found himself standing in a light room; a big table occupied the central part of it. Moon was sitting at the table. A spoon she held dropped with a quiet "tink."

"Hey," the demon boy said awkwardly. He must have interrupted her breakfast.

"Tom!" she exclaimed, rising and leaving her spot. For the first time, the girl called him by the name. Moon made a strange movement as she wanted to hug the boy. Tom felt a slight disappointment when she hadn't done it. "I'm glad to see you well and unharmed."

Tom raised his wrist and waved with it, showing Queen Moon he'd lost his hand.

"Oh, sure," Moon was unfazed. Tom was ready to comment on it sarcastically, but his attention was caught by a move on the table. Something crawled quite fast, like a weird crab; the demon boy with surprise and relief recognized it as his own hand.

"I believe it's yours," the Queen smiled friendly while Tom was busy putting his dismembered limb to its place. The hand stuck to his arm though a deep pale scar remained. It worried Tom a little: previously he had regenerated his body parts without marks and consequences.

"How long have I been missing?" he asked the girl.

"For two weeks," Moon answered. "All this time it was alive and well. We even played rock-scissors-paper sometimes. I supposed if this hand was active you were alive too, just somewhere else."

"Oh," Tom didn't know how to react. "Um… thank you a lot for saving it for me."

He looked at his scar again. Perhaps, after some time passed, it might go without a trace. Or not. The demon had never lost his limbs for so long.

"You're welcome," Moon replied simply. "Would you like to have some breakfast with me?"

Despite the fact that he had left without a mom's promised cake, and dishes on the table looked delicious, the prince shook his head and threw a gaze at a mantel clock. How much time had been lost with chit-chat?

"Look," Tom said unusually seriously; a smile on Moon's face remained though turned a little bit forced. "I don't have much time. Something really, really, really horrible is going to happen in the future and I need your help to avoid it."

Perhaps, his ask would cause even more changes, but if there was a chance to save his dad, he would take a risk.

"Yes, I was thinking about it," the Mewni Queen looked reflectively at her guest. She took her wand from the table and unexpectedly pointed it at Tom.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," the boy stepped back and put his hands forward in vain struggle to protect himself from her magic. "What are you doing?"

"Just trust me, okay?" she found a spot on the demon's chest and proclaimed "Timebulb spell!"

A bubble appeared on the top of her wand and started to grow. Tom had blinked just twice before he found himself inside the giant magic bubble. All sounds outside of it were mute. The boy carefully touched the bubble, and it moved, becoming smaller as fast as it had grown before. It cowered all Tom's body and then disappeared though the boy could swear he still felt something soapy on his skin and under it.

"What was that?" he asked astonished.

"One of my predecessor's spell," the young Queen hid her wand and returned at her place as if nothing had happened. "Skywynne's, the Queen of Hours, to be precise."

"And why did you use it on me?" Tom still didn't believe that Butterfly's magic could bring him something except troubles.

"Let's say," Moon proposed him a chair in front of her, "that now you have no need to jump from time to time every hour as you can control a longing of your spell by yourself. So, I hope we had enough time for breakfast without hustle, and you can tell about each and every terrifying detail."

Tom took a proposed seat and grabbed some pancakes. "Well, I don't know what I should start with. Probably, the only good thing about the future is that you are still alive…"

The Queen was listening to him attentively and didn't interrupt him even when he described the most gruesome moments. She seemed to lose her appetite, and yet it was the only thing that showed how much the demon's story affected her.

"Thank you for your candor," she said at last when Tom had finished his speech. "Could you repeat your tale to the Magic High Commission, please? We have a council in an hour."

"Um…" the boy hesitated. "I think it would be better if I don't show myself to them. I guess, they could figure this time-changing thing out, and it might cause… um… unnecessary questions?"

He prepared to defend his decision persistently, but, to his surprise, the Queen agreed.

"You're right. Besides, you can meet the actual ambassador of the Underworld. It would be awkward."

"Yeah, about the Underworld," Tom said hesitantly. He sighed and pushed himself to continue: "Would you please not involve demons in your fight with monsters?"

She looked at the prince. A wrinkle crossed her forehead, making her look like she was a few years older. It was something new, and Tom instantly felt how foolish his pray sounded. How many Mewmans would be saved with the Underworld's help and how many would die without it?

"I won't," Moon said at last and looked away.

"Thanks," the boy said relieved, hoping that her choice could change the Lucitors' fate for good. She didn't answer, poking a cold omelet on her plate.

"So…" Tom spoke again, breaking an uncomfortable silence. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," the young Queen answered. "You shouldn't make such an important decision without some preliminary thinking, should you?"

She intertwined her fingers and rested her chin on them, looking thoughtfully into empty space. "Perhaps… perhaps, we should strike first. If Toffee is going to deprive us our allies, we should do the same."

"What do you mean?" Tom didn't understand her, but something in her words made him wary.

"There are many monster tribes, you know it? Septarians, shape-shifters, slimes, frogmen, avariuses, and so on. Not all of them as bloodthirsting as Septarians, but they follow them - either of greed or fear. We should separate these tribes, placing them in certain well-guarded locations. These actions will leave Toffee without his army, I have no doubt."

But her tone said quite the opposite. Tom looked at the young girl, noticing her uncertainty that contrasting so much with the cruelty of her words. He knew what kind of person she would become. But maybe, it wasn't too late to change it? The demon licked his parched lips.

"There is something I didn't tell you before," he started. Moon looked at him as he proposed the perfect solution of her problems. "About your titles."

"Oh," she said, with a weird mix of disappointment and interest. "Go on."

"In the place, where I was born, in my time, you are known as Moon the Undaunted, the Queen of Mewni."

She gave him a small smile, obviously flattered.

"But," he continued, and her smile faded, "I visited two more futures, two possible futures. In the first of them, you are named as "Moon the Reckless." It's the one where you die during the war."

"And in the second?" the girl asked, fearing to receive the answer.

"Moon the Black-hearted," he said quietly. The Queen looked as he slapped her on the face; her cheekmarks glowed feverishly, her eyes widened, and when she threw a gaze on him he read horror in them.

"Am I going to become like that?" she whispered in shock. Tom felt a slight hope but hid it under his imperturbable expression.

"You are..." he said firmly. "If you will make precipitate choices."

Moon looked away speechless. Tom watched her silently too. He noticed how she clenched her fists, and then relaxed them, straightening the folds of her dress. At last, she stood up, bracing herself in an accustomed armor of courtesy and calmness.

"Thank you for your advice," she said with a small, polite nod. The prince knew his reproof was heard and wouldn't be forgotten; it caused a warm feeling of satisfaction inside his chest. "I will follow it. And now I ask to excuse me. I have to go. The Commission doesn't like to wait."

She took her wand and made a few steps to the door.

"Wait!" Tom exclaimed, "what about me? What should I do while you are on your council?"

"You are allowed to do anything you want," she shrugged. "Except things which are dangerous or harmful. Oh, and please, be quiet."

She left him alone. For the first time since his troubles had begun, he had some free time and had absolutely no idea how to spend it. So, he finished his breakfast, hid from a maid, who came to clean up, and took a nice spot near a window, where he could see a garden without a possibility to be noticed. Tom was observing flowers and trees, singing birds and gleam of water in fountains; it was hard to believe that the war was so close.

He spotted a movement beyond trees. Moon went fast, yet majestically, probably to the council; a short boy minced near. Even the demon's ears couldn't recognize what they were talking about; judging by the admiration on the boy's face, their conversation was pleasant. Or he was just glad to be near her.

"No wonder," Tom admitted when they hid from his eyes. "Despite all of her flaws, she is kind of awesome."


	7. Chapter 7

"To be honest, I thought you have birthmarks, not a simple mascara."

Moon's voice made Tom's hand twitched and drawn a thick black line down his cheek. Getting bored with waiting for the Queen's returning for so long, the boy had killed some time refreshing his look, and now he had been caught in a very personal, almost intimate moment. An eyeliner had snapped in two in his hand.

"That's not just a simple mascara," Tom answered irritated, wiping waste marks off his face, "this is a piece of art!"

"As you wish," she didn't continue a conversation. The demon prince turned around to find her lounging in an armchair with her eyes closed. Tom was terrible at reading emotions of other beings, but she was definitely exhausted. It had been morning when she had gone for the meeting with The Magic High Commission, and now the first stars had appeared on the evening sky. Had they discussed politics all this time? It would be devastating for anyone.

"Hey, how was the council?" he asked in a calmer tone.

"Very constructive, I suppose," Moon answered, making no move. Tom was curious what decision they had made, though the Queen added nothing to her answer.

"So…" the short-tempered demon didn't endure a long pause, "what are you going to do?"

"The parley," Moon gave an answer at last. "We should persuade monsters not to follow Toffee, and grant them their lands instead."

"That's… that's great! It must work, I'm sure, and it'll fix everything!" Tom smiled triumphantly, yet Moon didn't share his enthusiasm. Something bothered her, and it discouraged the boy a little.

"Hey, what's wrong? You've made an awesome plan which will end this war, you'll see."

"I know," Moon stood and walked to the balcony window. "Just… my mom had the same ideas about peace. And she was betrayed, slew and…"

She trailed off. The demon prince stayed as still as she did, trying desperately to find a proper way to express his compassion to this lonely girl. But all words sounded dull and corny, so he just walked closer to her and stayed near.

"I think, she would be proud of you, that you continue her willings," inside, Tom cringed at how banal it turned out, but Moon gave him a weak smile. Her hands in gloves lain on a marble windowsill - white on white.

"Why are you constantly wearing gloves? I bet it's not an obligatory part of the royal outfit," it must have been a joke, but Moon clenched her teeth, getting Tom to know he had found her pet peeve. "Um, I'm sorry, you shouldn't answer, I've just…"

He didn't end his phrase because the Queen made an unexpected move. She rose her left hand and took a glove off it.

At first, Tom thought it was another one glove under it, a purple one. But the next moment he realized his mistake; it wasn't fabric, it was her own skin. Darkness colored her arm from tips of her fingers to the elbow, from dark and rich purple to light lilac hue. Tom couldn't look away from her veins. He had read enough book in his family's castle to understand some of the wicked black magic caused it, and he must be horrified by the fact that Moon had had a deal with it. And yet…

"Don't hide your hands; they are so beautiful…" Moon widened her eyes and stepped back from him, making the demon realize he said it out loud.

"I mean… I mean… it could help at the parley, yeah," the boy desperately tried to save the situation. "You have monstrous hands, and tribes would appreciate that. They could… would see something familiar in you so that you won't be just another Mewman to them, and…"

"Thank you," she stopped his explanation, taking his glove back. "I'll muse over your proposition."

Tom nodded, wondering if he could have messed up more today.

"It's too late today to make any other preparations. We'll start tomorrow. I hope, you'll accompany me on this journey as my advisor and bodyguard? Sorry for a kind of demotion."

"No hard feelings," the demon took it for granted.

"Glad to hear that," Moon rang a bell. "And now, if you will excuse me, I need some rest. A servant will lead you to your chambers."

A few moments later a maid knocked on the door. Moon gave her brief instructions and only nodded silently at Tom's 'good night.'

The chamber prepared for Tom was located on the level beyond the Queen's room. It was small yet perfectly decorated; from the window, the boy could see the same piece of the garden he had admired before. He laid on a bed, for the first time feeling some kind of confidence about the following day.

The knock on the door made him jump.

"Sorry, sir, I've just brought you your uniform. The Queen's request, sir," the maid's words were polite, though Tom suspected something other beyond them. "For the corn sake," said her eyes, "why the Queen chose a monster for a bodyguard? Is she nuts?"

"Thank you," Tom answered calmly, receiving a package. The maid bowed to him and went away, leaving the demon to wonder if he had seen her contempt for real or if it had been just lack of rest and his vivid imagination?

The package contained a full form of Mewni guardian, but this outfit was adorned more than the usual. Tom winced at such showy clothes. Even the respect for Moon couldn't make him wear that. So the next two hours he spent fitting the uniform for his taste, ripping gems off, ruining the embroidery and decorating the doublet and trousers with patches and duds. At last, his costume looked not so bad. Tom smiled triumphantly and immediately yawned. He spent too much time, so now he needed to take a rest before the new and important day.

Tom had been very sleepy when a sudden thought flashed in his mind. Moon had shown him her corrupted hands… revealed her secret… she had made him her advisor and guardian… did it mean she trusted him? A warmth appeared somewhere in his belly; it was very unusual feeling for someone who got used to being put aside.

"But all of it can wait," Tom had thought before he fell asleep.

…Next two weeks turned for Tom into one blurry cloud. He woke up, put his special Mewman outfit on, joined Moon on her breakfast and followed her for the rest of the day until she finally let him go to sleep. For these weeks he had attended more councils than he had in his entire life before; he had crossed the whole Mewni at least twice. Moon didn't want to lose time, so the next day after Tom's arrival she had announced about her 'peacemaking tour.' Though the Magic High Commission hadn't approved that idea, Moon could be very persuasive.

'I still don't like it,' muttered Rhombulus, the only one member of the Commission who joined the tour. He, Tom, a Bannerman, and a few servants - that was all the Queen's escort. And that day they reached the misty swamp were the Frog people lived.

And they were waiting for the Queen's visit. Warnicorns stepped quietly at the oozy path, and aside there were monsters - men and women, young and old. But they all had alertness in their eyes. Tom was looking around, seeking for the tiniest things that were looking fishily. But even his sharp sight didn't notice anything that could hint of an ambush. For sure, the Frog people didn't like the Queen, but this day they wouldn't kill her.

The Mewmans reached the most significant building in the village; three elders of the commune were standing there. Moon dismounted and went to them.

"May Nature be kind to your village," she intervened her fingers together. "I am grateful that you allowed me to visit your lands."

The Queen bowed so low that her hair touched the ground, and froze. The elders of the Frog people stared at the girl's greeting. After a few horribly long moments they bowed back. The parley began.

Moon had a long and quite persuasive speech. For every tribe, she had found different words, though the meaning had been the same: the Queen fully realized all the damage her ancestors, and her people had made, and she wanted to restore tribe's rights and return them some lands. In return, the Queen asked for peace - she didn't want them to fight for her, just not to fight against with Toffee.

The elders had listened to her silently, without even blinking. They remained silent after she had ended her performance, and that discouraged her a little. At last, the oldest among the elders said: "Why should we trust your words, child?"

Moon prepared herself to long discussions, but this simple question seemed to hit a ground under her feet. The same question awoke a memory in Tom's mind in which also a Frogman and a foggy forest were. He felt that he had to intervene.

"Because of me," he stepped forward and stood near Moon. She threw a short, slightly angry look at him, but he was unfazed. "I am a demon - a monster if you please. The Underworld and Mewni almost all the time has rough relations, and despite that, I can judge the Queen and her intentions without stereotypes. And I can tell you; I found no dishonesty in her words and her thoughts. She is the one who can finish the centuries-old feud between monsters and Mewmans. In fact, she already started to finish it, taking a demon like me as her guardian. Would you allow your prejudices to ruin the chance to a better and peaceful life?"

At the and of his speech Tom had been already gasping from desperation and anger for the elders' stubbornness. Then one of the old Frogmen croaked: "It's just your opinion, boy, not the whole kingdom's."

"Even if you're one of us, it doesn't mean that she didn't put a spell on you to say all that words you've just said. Mewmans, especially their women are tricky," the other added.

The oldest Frogman studied Tom's face, his pose, and gestures carefully. Unexpectedly, he said: "We're thankful for your words, child. The elders discuss all that had been said and say their decision tomorrow."

After that, he turned around and hid inside the building. The others followed him. One by one, all the Frog people disappeared, leaving the Queen and her escort alone.

"It was all in vain," Tom thought bitterly. "Like the last time, all the same."

But then he caught an eye of a young Frogman, with tiny winged ears and bright yellow eyes. He gave Tom an approving grin before hid inside his home.

Tom chuckled nervously. So, maybe there was a reason after all?


	8. Chapter 8

"Could you stay for a few minutes?" Moon asked Tom after they had returned to the camp. "I need to discuss something with you."

"Yeah, sure," he shrugged and followed the girl. Rhombulus watched suspiciously as they hid in the Queen's tent.

"What do you want…" the boy started, but Moon interrupted him.

"You shouldn't have intervened in the parley!" Tom had never seen her lips so thin. She was angry but in a cold manner. "I know, it might have looked as I lost my thoughts, but I controlled the situation. Your unexpected performance could turn them against us!"

So many times Tom had been charged guilty in one thing or another, but this time he felt he hadn't done anything wrong.

"Hey, slow down. I knew what to say, so you have nothing to worry about. Just relax and take a rest."

He tried to calm her down though it didn't work.

"How, for the corn's sake, could you know it?" she was almost screaming. "Before today you have never taken part in the process of parley!"

"I had a similar conversation with monsters in the future, okay?" Tom's eyes started to glow from his anger. "It didn't go wrong!"

"Did you think that words which were persuading once might be useless in another situation? And I am sure today was exactly that situation!"

The glowing extinguished. The Queen's words made him feeling anxious about his actions. What if he had spoiled another chance to restore his timeline?

"Look," Moon sighed after Tom's silence had taken more time than she expected. "I appreciate your help. I truly do. And I know how uneasy it is for you to be here, to look at us and to speak to us. You probably find us awfully old-fashioned, you probably laugh at our taste in fashion, in music…

"Hey, is it all about that "The Bugs" again? I've told you, I…"

"Firstly, "The Beatles"," Moon raised her voice defensively, "and secondly, not the point. I mean… all of that has already happened to you. And, for sure, you know better how to improve this or avoid that but…"

"But?" repeated Tom when she stumbled.

"When you tell me, that I should, or I shouldn't do, I feel strings on my wrists and ankles. I… don't want to be a puppet, even for the greater good," she ended with a worried expression on her face. "Are we… are cool about it?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Tom nodded, ashamed and flattered at the same time. Moon smiled weakly and turned to the Mewni map.

"Everybody, except you, hates me," she confessed unexpectedly. She sounded like a regular teenage girl, and it stung the demon's heart. "I try to do my best, but they still hate me. Monsters loathe me because I'm a Mewman and my people treated them horribly. And Mewmans despise me because I plan to return the monster's land…"

"Hey, but you do the right thing!" Tom came closer. If there were someone else, he would give a hug to cheer up, but he didn't dare to be so informal with the Queen of Mewni. "After all, those lands belong to monsters."

"That's true," Moon looked at Tom with a miserable gesture. "But, in this case, where are our lands?"

"Um… I don't know," Tom hastily remembered everything that his father had told about Mewni history. "But, there were colonists, they traveled from somewhere, right?"

"Right," Moon confirm hollowly. "But from where?"

Tom had no answer.

"Everything, that we know was written in "The Book of Spells." Our history, names of last Queens, spells and many, many other things."

"I thought you have some," Tom admitted unsurely.

"I have," she answered. "The second book. The first was lost, it burnt with the ancient Butterfly Castle."

Moon looked at Tom, expecting a particular reaction, but soon realized that the demon knew nothing about the centuries-ago-events.

"My book has many spells, and some notes," the Queen continued her story, "but nothing about early history. Thousand times I saw the play about arrival the first Mewmans ships and about the Stump Day, but how can we be sure that all was just so as it portrayed in puppet's theatres? And our motherland, where is it? Hundreds of miles away from here or in a different dimension?"

"I…" Tom was speechless. He had never thought before about the origin of Mewmans.

"Me neither," it seemed as Moon had read his thoughts. "I feel I need to know this, though it is just a silly obsession."

"Why do you think it's silly?" Tom asked astonished. "It could resolve so many troubles!"

To his surprise, Moon laughed, but there was no joy in these sounds.

"It resolves nothing even if I find our motherland," she said at last. "Thirty and five Queens were before me, and I don't know if any of them tried to return. Except, maybe, for princess Soupina… but she got lost in the Realm of Magic, and her story is still a mystery to me."

She fell silent.

"I'm not sure if any of Mewmans will want to return," Moon said at last with bitterness in her voice. "They were born here, their parents were born here and so were their grandparents. I know my people enough to predict that they won't change their known life in Mewni to unknown travel to their homeland… to my homeland."

"But that's wrong!" Tom exclaimed desperately. "There should be a solution!"

"And what will you do if there is no ideal solution?" the Queen asked quietly. Tom's ears twitched as if she shouted at him. "After centuries of discrimination and isolation, you can't change it all in a few months. The fact is if I make drastic changes in favor of monsters there will be consequences. Mewmans might ask for another Queen, like my cousin Felicity, who cut down any achievements we made with monster's rights, and I might even end up frozen in crystal, just like Queen Eclipsa. And I don't want it at all."

"I call it cowardice," the demon didn't even try to hide his disappointment.

"I call it politics," Moon's lips smiled, though her eyes did not. "One day you will face it yourself, even if you hate it."

Tom stormed out the Queen's tent, gave her a brief 'good night' and didn't even wait for her response. She was painfully, terribly, irritatingly wrong! He couldn't calm himself down.

They found a perfect solution! If Mewmans returned to their motherland, monsters had their lands back, and war would be over. And the Queen made up excuses to avoid it! Tom was circling his tent, leaving flaming traces behind. The demon prince had a better opinion of Moon, and her stubbornness and weakness disappointed him.

"But we still don't know where are Mewmans from?" his inner voice asked. Tom stumbled for a moment but sent that question away. She is a mighty sorcerer, he is a demon prince - if only she wanted, they had found the truth!

"If she goes to search the Mewmans land, it won't restore your future," the inner voice reminded, and it hit Tom more than the previous thought. "She won't marry River, won't have a daughter…"

The fire he had made by accident went out. Tom looked at the Queen's tent, her silhouette was seen through the thick fabric. Did their conversation affect her as much as it did to him?

"But she still could marry River and have a daughter," Tom decided at last. He entered in his place and laid on the folding bed. "They'll just be somewhere else."

And Tom suddenly realized he wouldn't mind if that future came true.

Next day he woke up late. He stared at his ceiling, enjoying for a while peace and quiet. He had already felt bad for yesterday's outburst. Maybe, at some points, Moon was right? She still remained irritatingly stubborn, but, after all, she was in the politic (Tom innerly cringed at this word) longer than he. She might have known what to do.

The demon prince put on his uniform, washed up, refresh his make-up and left his tent. The morning was sunny, the sky was clear, but he noticed a little hectic in the camp. The warriors cleaned their weapons, looking at Tom suspiciously; officers instructed their subordinates but shouted up as soon as they saw the demon. He had broken the ice with these guys, he knew their names and stories; they, at the same time, respected him for saving their Queen's life. But now Tom felt their wary gaze on his skin, and he didn't like it at all.

He went into Moon's tent without warning. The Queen met him with a disturbing look.

"What… what happened?" Tom asked instead of greetings. Her disquiet disturbed him more than other Mewmans alert.

"This morning my scouts visited the Frog people village," Moon pointed at two young soldiers, who were sitting at the corner. "They found the village burned to the ground."

Tom opened his mouth and shouted it. Words got stuck in his throat.

"And Frog people?" he gasped out, finally.

"They saw no one. Neither living nor…dead," she gulped. "I hope they just went to a secret place in their moores and stayed safe there."

"Did you find anything else?" he asked scouts, but they only recoiled back, having no experience in chatting with demons.

"Yes, they found," Moon answered. She took a long spear, laying on her table and stuck it in the ground before Tom. A skull, painfully similar to Mewmans, was on his pole.

"Toffee was there," the Queen continued. Her face was pale, and her cheekmarks grew grey, but her voice raised firmly. "He left me a message… an invitation. It would be impolite to refuse the meeting."

Tom stared at Moon and couldn't understand, who was standing before him.

The Undaunted, the Reckless or the Black-hearted.


End file.
